1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to air fresheners and supply units therefor.
2. Description of the Related Art and Summary of Invention
Air fresheners are frequently used in home and business to control odors in bathrooms, kitchens, and other enclosed spaces. Generally, commercial dispensers for air fresheners can operate passively through ventilation and diffusion, or actively through electrical heating elements or mechanical fan assemblies. Because air freshener dispensers function by releasing a scent through evaporation or atomization, such dispensers work most effectively when placed in the open on a counter, table, or wall. They are nevertheless often hidden from view due to their odor eliminating purpose, where they are both less effective and more difficult to replace.
Numerous methods have been developed to improve air freshener dispensers for the home and business. Electrically powered and wall mounted dispensers are common. U.S. Pat. No. 4,808,347 to Dawn discloses an air freshener with a battery powered fan for deodorization of automobiles. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,743,406 to Steiner et al. describes a self-contained dispenser which uses replaceable cartridges of air freshener, and applies a battery powered fan to actively vent air past the cartridge. Air freshener dispensers have even been applied to common cassette tapes, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,905,112 to Rhodes, in part to deodorize automobiles in a discrete and clever fashion. Unfortunately, none of these solutions provide an ideal solution for the home, office or storefront, as many require electric power, often necessarily with replacement of batteries as well as air freshener. These solutions usually do not suit themselves to placement in visible areas where such air freshener dispensers would be most effective.
Hand lotion, on the other hand, is commonly provided in home and business environments to moisturize, smooth, and improve the condition of skin. It is often available in disposable consumer pour or pump dispensers, or sometimes in wall units for commercial application. Consumer dispensers are commonly placed on tables, in kitchens, and in bathrooms, and do not have the less desirable appearance and connotation of an air freshener dispenser.
Applicant is one of the named inventors for U.S. Pat. No. 5,799,826, in which a dual dispenser was disclosed. That dual dispenser was disclosed as being used with soap and air freshener. This combination of soap and air freshener in a single dispenser was highly innovative for soap. When used with standard soap (which is rinsed off), rather than a sanitizer soap (which is not rinsed off), the dispenser is desirably placed reasonably near a source of water to allow washing off the soap after use. As standard soaps are by far the most popular, the placement of standard soap dispenser is limited, as it is impractical in non-washroom settings such as the coffee table, office desk, or the automobile.
Accordingly, a preferred embodiment is a dispenser that can be placed virtually anywhere in the home or office. Another aspect of a preferred embodiment is a dispenser for both air freshener and a liquid, such as hand lotion or soap, that avoids the difficulties of prior individual and combined dispensers while providing advantageous improvements in both structure and function.
Most retail, or consumer-oriented, air fresheners operate on an “always on” basis. That is, once the air freshener is initially activated, it dispenses fragrance until its supply is exhausted. Because air freshening is typically only necessary when a person is in the same general area as the air freshener dispenser, the “always on” dispensers may result in a majority of the fragrance being dispensed when it is not necessary or desired.
Further, the dispensed fragrance, along with most other odors, are only noticeable to a person for a short time after the smell is encountered. After this initial period, the person becomes accustomed to the fragrance and it no longer produces the desired sensory response. More user oriented consumer air fresheners are available, such as spray-type products, for example. However, the necessary mechanisms to propel the air freshener often make spray-type dispensers relatively expensive and difficult to recycle.
Accordingly, a preferred dispenser dispenses only a small amount of fragrance, if any, until the dispenser is user-actuated. Advantageously, such an arrangement avoids desensitization, thus increasing the perceived effectiveness of the air freshener. In addition, such a dispenser avoids unnecessary dispensing of fragrance, thereby increasing the useful life of the fragrance. Moreover, such a dispenser provides both a pourable compound, such as hand lotion, and air freshener in a single product, which is less costly than purchasing hand lotion and air freshener separately. In addition, less packaging materials are utilized in comparison to separate products, thereby reducing the amount of material disposed of or needing to be recycled at the end of the product life.
A preferred embodiment is an assembly including a dispenser. The dispenser includes a container and an actuator, which defines an actuation surface. A pourable compound is held within the container and is dispensible from the container upon manual manipulation of the actuation surface. A base defines a substantially flat mounting surface and an interior surface sized and shaped to receive and retain the dispenser. The base also includes a location sized and shaped to receive a supply of air freshener wherein the supply of air freshener is received by the location.
A preferred embodiment is an air freshener delivery assembly. The assembly includes a bottle, a hood and a supply of air freshener. The hood includes a wall cooperating with at least a portion of the bottle to form a cavity. The supply of air freshener is positioned within the hood. In addition. the hood is movable with respect to the bottle from a first position, wherein the hood and the bottle cooperate to define a first generally enclosed volume, to a second position wherein the hood defines a second enclosed volume smaller than the first enclosed volume, thereby dispensing air freshener from the supply of air freshener.
A preferred embodiment is an assembly including a first engagement portion defining a cavity and an actuator defining an actuation surface. A pourable compound is positioned within the first engagement portion, wherein the compound is dispensible from the first engagement portion upon manual manipulation of the actuation surface. The assembly also includes a second engagement portion, which defines an interior surface sized and shaped to receive and retain the first engagement portion. The second engagement portion also defines a location sized and shaped to receive a supply of air freshener, which is positioned at the location.
A preferred embodiment is an assembly including a first engagement portion defining a cavity and an actuator defining an actuation surface. A supply of hand lotion is placed within the first engagement portion, wherein the supply of hand lotion is dispensible from the first engagement portion upon manual manipulation of the actuation surface. A second engagement portion defines a location sized and shaped to receive a supply of air freshener and a supply of air freshener is positioned at the location.
A preferred embodiment is a dispenser assembly including a first portion at least partially defining a first enclosure for receiving a supply of hand lotion. A second portion at least partially defines a second enclosure for receiving a supply of air freshener. The second portion has at least one opening and is movable relative to the first portion to a dispensing position for urging the air freshener in a direction from within the second enclosure toward the opening. A pump assembly communicates with the supply of hand lotion and defines an outlet positioned outside of both the first and second enclosures. The hand lotion is urged in a direction from within the first enclosure toward the outlet when the pump assembly is actuated. The second portion is movable to the dispensing position independent of the actuation of the pump assembly.
A preferred embodiment is a dispenser assembly including a first portion at least partially defining a first enclosure for receiving a supply of hand lotion. A second portion at least partially defines a second enclosure for receiving a supply of air freshener. The second portion has at least one opening. A pump assembly communicates with the supply of hand lotion and defines an outlet positioned outside of both the first and second enclosures. The hand lotion is urged in a direction from within the first enclosure toward the outlet when the pump assembly is actuated. A means is provided for dispensing the air freshener from within the second enclosure through the opening without an external supply of power.
A preferred embodiment is a dispensing base for use with a liquid dispenser and an air freshener enclosure. The base includes a substantially flat mounting surface and an interior surface sized and shaped to receive the liquid dispenser. The base also includes a location sized and shaped to receive the air freshener enclosure. The base defines at least one hole through which air freshener from the air freshener enclosure can be dispersed.
Another aspect of a preferred embodiment is a combination air freshener and hand lotion dispenser that permits direct user control of the strength and quantity of scent released in relation to dispensing of hand lotion.
Yet another aspect of a preferred embodiment is a combination air freshener and hand lotion dispenser in which the supplies of hand lotion and/or air freshener are refillable or replaceable independently or as a unit.
Still another aspect of a preferred embodiment is a combination air freshener and hand lotion dispenser where the dispensing of hand lotion, for example through a pump, is used to indirectly power the release of air freshener through a mechanically powered or passive ventilation system.
Finally, yet still another aspect of a preferred embodiment is a combination air freshener and hand lotion dispenser where the release of air freshener and dispensing of hand lotion are independently controllable.
Hand lotion is often dispensed in pour, squeeze, or pump bottles for home and business environments, where those bottles are usually disposable. As is known by those of skill in the art, hand lotion may include various combinations of moisturizers, oils and emollients, and may include nutritive elements such as Vitamin A, Vitamin E or Aloe Vera. While hand lotion may be scented, its primary function is placement directly on the hands to improve the skin's condition. Hand lotion generally does not have to be washed off the hands after use, as with standard soap. It does not function efficiently as an air freshener, and would be ineffective and messy if used as such. Hand lotion is an emulsion of primarily water and various oils, with lecithin typically being at least one of the emulsifying agents. If skin renewal properties are desired, the lotion may contain 2-8% of an alpha or beta hydroxy ingredient, to promote exfoliation.
Air freshener means any entity designed for the purpose of masking odors, or freshening, cleaning or deodorizing the air. The main ingredient of most air fresheners is a fragrance. Air fresheners previously had a chemical composition consisting of 10-25% fragrance, although substantially more or less fragrance, between 1-99% would be present depending on the strength of the resulting scent, the placement and purpose of the air freshener and the type of carrier the fragrance is placed within. Carriers for fragrance may include, for example, an odorless mineral spirit to dilute and aid in evaporating the fragrance, polymer gel, or a semisolid wax, which evaporates the fragrance at ambient temperature or upon heating. A porous surface frequently is used to prevent leakage but allow diffusion of fragrance into the surrounding environment, including, for example a polyester matrix in which the fragrance and carrier can be suspended. In 1997, the EPA established Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) content limits for air fresheners. Since fragrances very often contain VOC, these limits must be considered in the process of air freshener design. However, VOC content limits do not apply to air fresheners whose VOC constituents consist of 100% fragrance. This latter kind of air freshener can contain any desired amount of fragrance (0-100%).
Preferred embodiments realize an advantageous combination air freshener dispenser and hand lotion dispenser. A preferred embodiment includes a method for combining a hand lotion dispenser and air freshener dispenser to allow control of air freshener diffusion based on dispensing of hand lotion, or, alternatively, passively diffusing air freshener through controlled continuous ventilation. Both methods may be combined in the same apparatus. This can be accomplished through a number of physical embodiments, the preferred of which are described below.
A preferred embodiment includes an apparatus for combining a hand lotion dispenser and air freshener dispenser to allow subtle continuous dispensing of air freshener passively through the use of one or more adjustable vents. Thus, within one embodiment of a dispenser, at least two vent units are included where one of the vents is moveable with respect to the other. The vent units may have one or more openings in each which allow communication of fragrance from the air freshener enclosure to the outside environment. For example, the vent units may include surfaces which can be separated on user operation creating an opening for communication of fragrance to the outside environment. By manually adjusting the moveable vent unit, a user can regulate the rate of diffusion of fragrance into the surrounding environment and hence control the strength of scent from the air freshener dispenser.
Alternatively, at least one vent unit is included in the unit, where at least one vent unit is moveable to create an opening between the surface of the vent unit and the base of the dispenser for ventilation of air freshener. For example, the moveable vent may be automatically adjusted on user pumping of the hand lotion dispenser to dispense hand lotion in additional embodiments of the present invention. A preferred dispenser is particularly convenient for private use, as it can be placed anywhere in the home or office and is fully adjustable with respect to dispensing of hand lotion and release of air freshener.
A preferred embodiment also includes an apparatus for combining a hand lotion dispenser and air freshener dispenser in such a manner as to allow dispensing of air freshener actively through a number of optionally non-electrified mechanisms initiated by a user's pump action when dispensing hand lotion. Such an apparatus allows for but removes the need for batteries or electrification of the unit, while providing a controlled, active ability to diffuse fragrance. In one preferred embodiment, depression of the hand lotion pump handle provides a measured quantity of hand lotion as would a standard pump mechanism, but also affects a release of air freshener through compression of a mechanical energy transferring device.
Preferably, within the vent unit, or alternatively in the vent units or base unit, a resilient sponge and, optionally, a flat plate can be placed beneath the air freshener enclosure, where the plate can be attached to the pump tube such that depression of the pump handle depresses both the pump tube and the flat plate. Depression of the flat plate compresses the resilient sponge, allowing the release of fragrance currently held within the sponge to the outside environment through the opening or openings in or between the vent units. When the pump handle is released, the flat plate releases the sponge, and the sponge expands and draws in more fragrance from the air freshener enclosure. A spring may optionally be used to complement the resilient sponge, such that the spring is placed around the pump tube in a manner that the spring is compressed when the pump handle is depressed, and releases its stored energy when the pump handle is released, thus providing greater expansion and fragrance input into the uncompressed sponge. Alternatively, the flat plate may be omitted by the use of an air freshener enclosure having a surface suitable to adequately compress the sponge.
A similar result can be achieved by use of a mechanical fan assembly placed above or below the air freshener enclosure within the vent unit or units. When the pump handle is depressed, the downward force is transferred to the pump tube and the mechanical fan assembly, which translates the downward force into a rotational force acting on the fan. The fan then spins for a brief, adjustable time during which fragrance is drawn from the air freshener enclosure, and between or out of the vent unit or vent units, and or base unit, into the outside environment.
In addition, it is contemplated to substitute a manual pump arrangement for the above-described mechanical fan assembly. In such an arrangement, the vent unit surrounds the upper portion of the base unit and creates a cavity to house the air freshener enclosure. The vent unit is capable of sliding relative to the base unit, so that when the pump handle is depressed, the cavity volume is simultaneously reduced. This forces the air contained therein to be evacuated, and fragrance drawn from the air freshener enclosure to the outside environment, in a manner similar to the mechanical fan assembly. With this arrangement, the vent unit may be depressed individually, thereby releasing fragrance without dispensing hand lotion.
Alternatively, the vent unit may be placed below, and surround a lower portion of the base unit creating a cavity to house the air freshener enclosure below the base unit. In this arrangement, depression of the pump handle would dispense hand lotion, while depression of the base unit itself would force the evacuation of air from the cavity, and draw fragrance from the air freshener enclosure to the outside environment. Such an apparatus allows for active air freshening without the need for batteries, and at the same time allows for adjustment in the strength of fragrance released. As mentioned previously, the active and passive methods may be combined to allow a combination of continuous and user-initiated fragrance release at varying strengths depending on manual adjustment of the dispenser and environmental need.